​Clinical Sea Eagles keep top finals hopes alive

A starring effort from Jake Trbojevic has seen Manly account for South Sydney 28-8 in front of 15,083 fans at Brookvale Oval.

Crossing for a career-first double, Trbojevic was instrumental in leading the Sea Eagles to within reach of the top eight for the first time this season.

While South Sydney opened the scoring with a penalty goal, the Sea Eagles dominated proceedings throughout the match with Trbojevic crashing over from close range after just seven minutes.

Ten minutes later, Peta Hiku crossed for the first of three tries after good lead-up work by Brett Stewart, while the New Zealand international was in again shortly before the break to give the home side a 14-2 lead at the change of ends.

Needing to strike back early in the second half, the Rabbitohs were unable to halt the rampaging Sea Eagles who extended their lead to outside two converted tries following a penalty goal by Jamie Lyon.

Manly secured the game on the hour mark as Hiku touched down in the right corner for his third, with Lyon adding the extras the home side would not be denied.

A further try to Jake Trbojevic, along with a consolation four-pointer to Alex Johnston just before fulltime saw the Sea Eagles run out 28-8 winners to move into ninth position with four rounds remaining.

After an abysmal start to 2015, Manly look set to continue their decade long finals run intact despite facing off against fellow hopefuls the Raiders (away), Roosters (home) and Sharks (away) over the next month.

With games against North Queensland (away), Canterbury (home), Brisbane (home) and the Roosters (away) to round out the regular season, the Rabbitohs showed few glimpses of their ability as they were thoroughly outclassed by the Sea Eagles' commitment.

Next week, the Sea Eagles travel to Canberra on Sunday afternoon to tackle the Raiders, in a match which may see them enter the top eight. South Sydney face the unenviable prospect of travelling to Townsville on Thursday night to face off against the North Queensland Cowboys in a match which will likely see the return of Kirisome Auva'a from suspension.

Match Details

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 28 South Sydney Rabbitohs 8
Venue: Brookvale Oval
Crowd: 15083
Halftime Score: Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 14 South Sydney Rabbitohs 2

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (28)
Tries: Jake Trbojevic (2), Peta Hiku (3)
Conversions: Jamie Lyon (3/5)
Penalty Goals: Jamie Lyon (1/1)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (8)
Tries: Alex Johnston
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (1/1)
Penalty Goals: Adam Reynolds (1/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Jake Trbojevic
2 points - Peta Hiku
1 point - Greg Inglis

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to League Unlimited's coverage of Round 22 Friday Night Football between Manly Sea Eagles and South Sydney Rabbitohs at Brookvale Oval.

All eyes will be on Glenn Stewart as he returns to Brookvale Oval for the first time since departing last season.

Manly will be as per program, 1-17 with Steve Matai making his return from injury in the centres.

Souths have made one change with Jason Clark coming onto the bench in place of Kyle Turner.

Willie Mason takes the first run of the night.

1: Adam Reynolds bombs, but the kick fails to trouble Peta Hiku.

2: Jorge Taufua has been taken into touch by three South Sydney defenders.

3: Penalty to South Sydney for a strip by Blake Leary.

4: Another penalty for the Rabbitohs - Adam Reynolds will look to take first points with a penalty goal.

5: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Penalty goal attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
First points to South Sydney.

6: Reynolds puts up a towering bomb, but the kick is out on the full.

7: Penalty to Manly.

7: Jake Trbojevic is claiming the first try of the match, but referee Gerard Sutton is checking for an obstruction.

7: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Jake Trbojevic. Kick to come.
Great start by the Sea Eagles - a deserved try by their best forward throughout 2015 so far.

8: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
Lyon converts. Manly lead 6-2.

10: Cherry-Evans' kick hits a Souths player, but after a second kick Souths come up with the ball.

11: Adam Reynolds puts a grubber kick in, but Brett Stewart does a great job to clean up.

13: Cherry-Evans puts a kick downfield which is well-taken by Alex Johnston.

14: Peta Hiku comes up with a fantastic take from a Bryson Goodwin grubber.

14: James Hasson is on for Jake Trbojevic.

15: Manly draw a penalty 30 metres out from the Rabbitohs line.

15: Matt Ballin is cut down a metre from the line.

16: Manly are in for another try through Peta Hiku - we're just checking to see whether there was interference with a decoy runner, but it looks all good.

16: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Peta Hiku. Kick to come.
Hiku started the set with a great catch and is rewarded with a try. Manly looking impressive early on at Brookvale.

17: Put that try down to a sensational cut out pass from Brett Stewart.

17: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon unsuccessful.
Lyon pushes the kick to the right. No goal.

19: Manly finish off another strong set by conceding a penalty for a lifting tackle of Aaron Gray.

19: Tom Burgess is hit hard by Willie Mason, on the next tackle Burgess loses the ball. Manly will start another set 30 metres out.

20: Feleti Mateo knocks on 10 metres out from the tryline.

22: Souths find touch from a penalty on halfway. They'll have a chance to post points at the end of this set.

22: Chris McQueen can't get to Adam Reynolds grubber kick. The referee is checking for the restart, but the Rabbitohs will rue a missed opportunity.

22: Manly get a 7-tackle set after the No Try ruling.

22: Manly get another penalty, they find touch 20 metres out.

23: Another penalty !

23: Kieran Foran is tackled short of the line by Greg Inglis.

23: Manly get another set but on the next play, Feleti Mateo makes another error close to the tryline.

24: Forward pass to Glenn Stewart. Souths are inviting the Sea Eagles to score points.

25: Jason Clark and David Tyrell on for South Sydney. Josh Starling on for Manly.

26: Great work by DCE and Steve Matai to force a line drop out.

29: Brett Stewart gets a ricochet off a Rabbitoh,but he can't link with Peta Hiku.

31: Glenn Stewart comes up with a heavy tackle on Steve Matai.

31: Jesse Sene-Lefao replaces Blake Leary for the Sea Eagles.

32: Manly force another line drop out after DCE kicked ahead for Brett Stewart.

34: Mateo delivers a short ball for Taufua, but the Rabbitohs are able to stop him short of the line.

34: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Peta Hiku. Kick to come.
Weight of possession tolls on South Sydney. Opting to run the ball on the last tackle, Hiku comes up with his second!

35: Jake Trbojevic back on for the Sea Eagles.

36: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon unsuccessful.
From the sideline, Lyon pushes the kick to the left.

37: Manly have dominated possession so far tonight with 2/3 of the ball.

39: Manly get a penalty after Glenn Stewart rakes the ball out of Jorge Taufua's hands.

40: Jake Trbojevice loses the ball. Souths will have one last chance to put an attacking play on, but based on their first half performance they have nothing to offer.

40: John Sutton is tackled and the Sea Eagles take a 14-2 lead into the sheds. Great work from Manly in the first half.

40: David Tyrell charges the ball back in the first run of the second half.

41: Upon returning the ball, Pet Hiku is met by three Rabbitohs.

43: Steve Matai hit by Glenn Stewart, but David Tyrell looks to be in trouble after hitting Matai's hip.

44: Glenn Stewart on report for making contact with Matai.

44: Matai is off the field, Michael Chee Kam is on for just hist third NRL game.

44: Jamie Lyon looks to put Peta Hiku in for a hat-trick, but he passes the ball into the crowd!

46: Reynolds puts up a towering bomb, but unlike last week the kicks just aren't landing for him.

47: Inglis does well to take a DCE bomb and is rewarded with a penalty for offside.

48: Great defence from Kieran Foran and Brett Stewart to take Alex Johnston into touch with the tryline begging.

48: Dylan Walker is down after Jorge Taufua crunches the centre as he passed the ball.

49: Somehow Greg Inglis comes up with the ball after the Sea Eagles found space down the right with Hiku.

51: Manly get a penalty from right in front of the posts. Jamie Lyon will look to extend the lead outside two converted tries.

52: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Penalty goal attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
From 25 metres out, right in front - Lyon takes the Sea Eagles out to a 16-2 lead.

52: David Tyrell back on the field after passing the concussion test following contact made with Matai's hip.

53: Taufua races down the sideline, but GI is able to halt the Manly wingers run.

54: Aaron Gray races into space before being taken 30 metres out from the tryline.

54: Bryson Goodwin elects to run the ball on the last, but is tackled short. Turnover.

56: Aaron Gray is able to defuse a DCE bomb in-goal. Rabbitohs 20 metre re-start.

57: Michael Chee Kam is tackled a metre from the tryline after yet another phenomenal effort by Greg Inglis in defence.

59: Another penalty to the Sea Eagles.

60: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Peta Hiku. Kick to come.
He's over for his third. Great work from Brett Stewart and Jamie Lyon to get the Kiwi international over again.

61: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
After two misses from the same position, Lyon makes it third time lucky. 22-2 Manly.

62: Diagnosis on Steve Matai - broken nose. That will likely see Tom Trbojevic back in first grade next week.

63: Mateo comes up with an error; Souths will have an attacking chance from inside the Sea Eagles half.

64: On the first tackle, Jorge Taufua strips the ball from Dylan Walker. It's all Manly tonight!

65: Greg Inglis is able to stave off Brett Stewart to catch a high ball on his own line.

67: Ballin puts a kick in from his own 40, but the Rabbitohs are able to come up with possession.

67: Remarkably, Steve Matai is back on the field.

68: Peta Hiku can't hold onto an intercept, Souths will have another set from 10 metres out.

69: Chris Grevsmuhl comes up with an error after a great defensive read by Jamie Lyon.

70: Alex Johnston finds a bit of space, but the Sea Eagles are quick to defuse the situation.

71: Manly's performance tonight has been incredibly controlled, much like Melbourne in the 2012 Grand Final.

72: Aaron Gray grounds Cherry-Evans' grubber in-goal. Line drop out.

74: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Jake Trbojevic. Kick to come.
Great work from Matt Ballin to expose lousy marker defence before linking up with Trbojevic for his second.

75: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
From right in front, Lyon takes the score out to 28-2.

77: Josh Starling comes up with a messy play the ball, Souths get a scrum.

77: Alex Johnston is claiming a try, but we'll check to see if it's a double movement.

77: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Alex Johnston. Kick to come.
Souths finally get over for a try.

78: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
A nice sideline conversion takes sees the score read 28-8.

79: Taufua makes a nice catch on his own line.

80: Dylan Walker takes the final run of the night and Manly win to keep their finals hopes alive.